title: Earthquake-related crush injury versus non-earthquake injury in abdominal trauma patients on emergency multidetector computed tomography: a comparative study.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate features of abdominal earthquake-related crush traumas in comparison with non-earthquake injury. A cross sectional survey was conducted with 51 survivors with abdominal crush injury in the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, and 41 with abdominal non-earthquake injury, undergoing non-enhanced computed tomography (CT) scans, serving as earthquake trauma and control group, respectively. Data were analyzed between groups focusing on CT appearance. We found that injury of abdominal-wall soft tissue and fractures of lumbar vertebrae were more common in earthquake trauma group than in control group (28 vs 13 victims, and 24 vs 9, respectively; all P < 0.05); and fractures were predominantly in transverse process of 1-2 vertebrae among L1-3 vertebrae. Retroperitoneal injury in the kidney occurred more frequently in earthquake trauma group than in control group (29 vs 14 victims, P < 0.05). Abdominal injury in combination with thoracic and pelvic injury occurred more frequently in earthquake trauma group than in control group (43 vs 29 victims, P < 0.05). In conclusion, abdominal earthquake-related crush injury might be characteristic of high incidence in injury of abdominal-wall soft tissue, fractures of lumbar vertebrae in transverse process of 1-2 vertebrae among L1-3 vertebrae, retroperitoneal injury in the kidney, and in combination with injury in the thorax and pelvis.
authors.affiliation: Sichuan Key Laboratory of Medical Imaging, and Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, Sichuan, China.
authors.forename: Tian-wu
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Zhi-gang
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Zhi-hui
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Zhi-gang
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Si-shi
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Deng
mesh_terms: D000007:Abdominal Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004190:Disasters; D055866:Earthquakes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D015898:Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed